


Could Do Without

by SilverFox89



Series: From Then to Now [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Pre-Slash, annoyed Shikamaru, supportive Neji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:16:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3682971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFox89/pseuds/SilverFox89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some things just aren't worth the trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Could Do Without

**Author's Note:**

> 30 Day OTP Challenge for the Fluff Impaired Prompt #3: Secret language/signals

Shikamaru had been assigned the position of Strategic Advisor for the Jōnin Commander four months ago and already he felt his sanity fraying a little more every day. Day in and day out he was busy fending off people who'd suddenly had a _'bright idea'_ when it came to protecting Konoha or, worse yet, the politicians - people with too much time, too much money and not enough common sense. Why Kakashi thought this was a good idea was beyond Shikamaru.

 

The Jōnin Commander, Matsudo, however, appreciated the Nara's ability to turn the politicians attention away from him, stating, "I should have talked to Kakashi-sama about getting help sooner. That silver tongue of yours is quite helpful."

 

Shikamaru was not flattered, if anything it made him all the more annoyed. What made everything worse was that the politicians were constantly testing him and still looked down upon him(despite the fact that Nara had passed every test they threw at him) because of his young age. Nothing was ever stated directly but Shikamaru was good at reading between the lines.

 

* * *

 

At lunch time Shikamaru always tried to disappear before anyone could catch him and hold him at the office longer. This rarely worked(he was convinced that the politicians were just waiting around the corner to ambush him). However, it seemed that Lady Luck was on his side today. Just as an elderly male began to approach him, intent on speaking his mind – yet again - Shikamaru heard a familiar voice call out to him.

 

"Shikamaru!"

 

The Nara turned with a subdued smile, "Neji! It's been a while since I saw you! When did you get back?"

 

"Last night. It was already fairly late by the time my team and I got in. I figured you'd have long been asleep once I finally finished debriefing."

 

"Not really. I took a bunch of work home with me a few days ago. I'm still not done with it," Shikamaru stated dryly. "So I've been working pretty late into the night every night since then to make the deadline. It's a pain in the ass."

 

"You do look stressed," Neji observed. "It can't just be the paperwork though. You have an excellent work ethic when you choose to apply yourself."

 

"I'm not surprised. And you are right about it not just being the paperwork. I've had a bunch of troublesome women come in and bother me these last few days," Shikamaru discretely flicked his eyes towards the small group of politicians that had gathered and were watching the two friends. " They were all like 'Shikamaru, you need to do this' and 'Shikamaru, you haven't done that'. All they do is nag, nag, nag. Why can't they understand that I'm working and shouldn't be interrupted?"

 

Neji tilted his head in such a way that his bangs hid his expression from onlookers as comprehension flared in his eyes. He huffed a laugh outwardly while giving the Nara a hidden, sympathetic look. "Maybe they want your attention?"

 

Shikamaru groaned, "Well, maybe, if they stopped bothering me at work I'd get done faster. Then they'd have my undivided attention."

 

"The female mind will forever be a mystery."

 

"Yeah, no kidding," Shikamaru grumbled.

 

"Aw," Neji laughed. "Poor Nara, even a genius such as yourself can't figure them out."

 

"Ha ha ha,"Shikamaru muttered flatly. "Go ahead and laugh it up Hyūga."

 

"I apologize, Shikamaru. It's a rare moment for you to leave yourself open in such a way. I just had to take advantage of it," Neji stated with a grin. "I'll make it up to you. How does a nice, quiet lunch sound? On me."

 

"No paperwork or nagging women?"

 

"Just you, me, some good food, and maybe a game of shogi if you have the time."

 

"Sounds like heaven," the Nara sighed in relief.

 

Neji laughed, his eyes lighting up in amusement, and Shikamaru smiled genuinely for the first time in a month. He decided politicians were somewhat like the bossy, troublesome and nagging women in his life. But, unlike the politicians, those women were either friends or family. He might call them troublesome all the time but that didn't mean that he didn't care about them or wanted them out of his life.

 

The politicians, on the other hand,.... he could do without.

**Author's Note:**

> This one and the next are ridiculously short but they refused to be written further. They taunt me with their shortness.


End file.
